Antonio Valdevit, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Stevens [Institute of Technology], conducted an experiment to determine the differences in force required under different weather conditions to grip a football.

He and two graduate students, Constance Maglaras and Rebecca Chung, found that under frigid conditions, three times the amount of force is required to hold the ball than is needed at room temperature. At the start of the experiment, Valdevit put a football in a refrigerator kept at 40 degrees. Then, he soaked his hands in 40-degree water for 30 seconds. He then tried to hold the football, while a student pulled at the ball.

The experiment was repeated eight times. Throughout the experiment, Valdevit placed the football in a freezer at -4 degrees and soaked his hands in an ice bath for 30-second increments -- to mimic the time it takes players to run a play, he said. The force required was measured with piezoelectric sensors.

ESPN analyst and former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka -- yes, he coached in an outdoor stadium in a cold-weather city -- called the move 'a big mistake' and 'stupid'.

Jets owner Woody Johnson would like to see it sunny with some snow flurries.